Play for Parkinson's

The Chesapeake Bayhakws are again proud to support the ProjectSpark Foundation’s Play for Parkinson’s Fall Lacrosse Series. The event, to be held on Saturday and Sunday, October 6th and 7th at Episcopal High School in Alexandria, VA will feature 11 of the country’s most prominent NCAA men’s and women’s programs.

This year’s men’s tournament on October 6th will again feature Princeton University, Georgetown University, and the University of Virginia, and has added the United States Air Force Academy and local elite program Towson University to the roundup.

The women’s tournament on October 7th will include Duke University, Northwestern University, Maryland University, Penn State University, the University of Florida and Towson University.

Last year, the tournament hosted over 5,000 sun-soaked fans and raised more than $100,000 for the ProjectSpark Foundation, an organization established by former Bayhawk and Princeton lacrosse player Christian Cook and his sister, Lauren Cook, as a means to fight this devastating disease. In the fall of 2008, Christian and Lauren’s mother, Diane Cook, was diagnosed with early stage Parkinson’s. Diane is just one of 1.5 million Americans who currently suffer from Parkinson’s – a group that is growing by more than 60,000 every year.

For the third year in a row, Play for Parkinson’s will highlight young men and women playing what has been called the “fastest game on two feet” to help those whose very ability to move is being compromised by Parkinson’s disease. All proceeds from the Play for Parkinson’s Lacrosse Series will benefit the ProjectSpark Foundation. Each participating institution has donated its time, facilities, and travel expense toward the goal of creating a ‘spark’ to find a cure.

Describing the 2011 tournament, Virginia men’s coach Dom Starsia shared, “We were glad to do a small part to help a great cause – the fight against Parkinson’s disease, it was really, really well-done.” Adds Princeton men’s coach Chris Bates, “We are thrilled to return to the Play for Parkinson's tournament in October. This will be Princeton's third year participating and it has gotten better each fall. Not only is the competition excellent, it supports a wonderful cause.”

“We are humbled by the support of so many outstanding institutions as we raise awareness and ‘spark’ new ideas and initiatives that hopefully will lead to an end to this devastating disease,” Christian Cook, co-founder and president of ProjectSpark stated.